Our Daily Face: Get Radiant Skin with Exfoliating Treatments

If I’m allowed to have more than one beauty muse at the same time, then Solange Knowles should consider this her formal invitation into my world of beauty talk. I had seen pictures of this newly weaveless beauty, but developed a better appreciation for this stunner after seeing her appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show a  few weeks ago. She was on the show discussing why she went short, but she was also there in support of Chris Rock’s new movie Good Hair. I definitely have to check this movie out.

If you’re like me, then you must be secretly wondering why Solange’s face looks absolutely flawless and a few reasons came to mind: maybe it’s in her genes, maybe she has a great retuoucher, or maybe she has the “in” on a great exfoliator which helps to unleash that glowing complexion a.k.a. luminosity! I choose to believe that an exfoliator had something to do with it because I refuse to believe that anyone is that perfect. And so the search for the great exfoliator begins. Alas, dead skin be gone!

Let’s start with a fabulous, splurge-worthy product from Earthen called – InstantPeel ($50, zitomer.com) I used for the first time last week. Don’t let the price scare you. In fact, let’s do what I call “beauty math” to make the purchase this product a non-issue. Each box comes with six (6) packets divided by $50 = $8.30 per treatment for six weeks. $8.30 is a number I can work with. With an expense that’s next to nothing for a top-notch product, you just have to fit this into your budget somehow.

InstantPeel should be used weekly if you have oily skin, once every two weeks for normal skin, and every three weeks for sensitive or dry skin (or as often as your skin requires). When you take a shower, let your face steam until it gets moist. Open a packet and squeeze a small amount of InstantPeel onto your fingertips. Apply to your face, neck, or anywhere else on your body (except for delicate areas like around your eyes) and immediately begin massaging or rolling in a back and forth motion and repeating those steps wherever you’ve applied the product to remove dead skin cells. What you’ll see falling into the sink is dead skin and what is revealed underneath is beautiful, healthy skin. I even tried this product on my elbows. Amazing! I’m happy to recommend this product because when I looked in the mirror, I was more than pleased with my reflection. I was glowing.

If you’re not into “massaging” yourself into a new complexion, then Yes to Carrots Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser ($9.99, target.com) is the way to go. This product is good for all skin types, except maybe sensitive skin types because it contains micro-granules that help the exfoliation process, but could irritate your skin. Ouch! Dead Sea Mud and carrot juice are a just a few of the ingredients that aid in removing dead skin cells and wiping away that last drop of makeup before you head to bed.

For uneven pigmentation, a chemical exfoliator like Rx for Brown Skin Absolute Radiance Intensive Exfoliating Serum ($38, sephora.com) does the trick. This is a glycolic acid (like lactic and salicylic acids) that loosens the bond between cells and the outer layer of the skin (also known as the corneum), smoothes your skin and unclogs pores. I like how that sounds. Use Rx one to two times a week in the evening after cleansing. For best results, use a sunscreen to prevent sun damage. If you go this direction, I think you’ll be happy with the results. Note: consult a dermatologist for hard to treat hyperpigmentation. My favorite dermatologist is Dr. Elena Jones.

If your lips have become dry and rough (like mine have) since we entered the Fall season – all isn’t lost. In my search for various exfoliating options, I found Philosophy Exfoliating Lip Scrub ($15, beauty.com) to get your lips back to normal. Just rub it on your lips until they’re smooth and wipe off with a tissue or washcloth.Pucker up.

Here are some more tips for keeping your skin luminous:

Tip 1: Home-made exfoliators are effective. Make a mild exfoliator by mixing oatmeal and water together to form a paste. Apply on your face and neck and move your hands in a circular motion. Rinse and pat dry. Your skin will feel soft and supple afterwards.

Tip 2: Use a washcloth. If you have sensitive skin, an exfoliator can sometimes be too harsh and can cause irritation. A warm washcloth works just as good to slough away dead skin cells. Another option is to use Olay Regenerist Micro-Exfoliating Wet Cleansing Cloths ($7.99) which is not only gentle for all skin types, it exfoliates dead skin while regenerating new skin cells and removes all signs of makeup.

Tip 3: Don’t rub it in. If you rub exfoliating products into your face you can loosen facial skin which causes wrinkles. It’s best to dab it in and gently massage and rinse.

Just remember that cleansing and moisturizing just aren’t enough. A complete skin care regimen always includes an exfoliation treatment which gets rid of dull skin revealing more radiant, healthy skin.

Hue Knew It? I did.

Photo Credit: hyperluxemedia